USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 13
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rods in the home direction when I heard two or three shots in quick succession, and when I told father (whose hear- ing was impaired), he remarked there might be some drunken Indians about, wasting their powder, so we went home, not thinking of any danger, and had our dinner. Mother said that some Indians had acted strangely, a party of four had visited the house of our neighbor south of us (Victor Zagrotzky), and had stayed there an unusually length of time, and when they left had set up a terrible howl, such as she never had heard before, and that on a hill to the east, a mounted Indian had held like a statue all morning (when we looked was just leaving, riding north- ward), and that about ten o'clock, a little before the Indians, a man with nothing but a shirt on had crossed the land west of us, running as fast as he could to Zagrotzky's and the Indians soon after him, but not running so fast (the man with only a shirt on being John Massapust, Jr., as before mentioned) yet we did not think of any serious trouble or disturbance, and about two o'clock p. m. went for another load of wheat; we had not reached our part of the field, when Conrad Zeller, living on the southeast end on the ridge aforesaid, came running to meet us, telling us that the In- dians had been killing all the neighbors and that he had car- ried Martin Henle (one of the party that left at the same time we did), whom the Indians had left for dead, had shown signs of life, into his house, after the Indians had left; the signs of which he bore plainly, as he was covered with blood by carrying the wounded boy. As Mr. Zeller talked very excited and in a great hurry, father thought that some drunken Indians had perhaps committed this outrage, and so made for the house, saying to me, "take
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your fork and come along!" When we entered the house, nobody but what seemed to be a bloody corpse was lying on a cot in the room, the family of Zeller having been in the cellar, now coming out. Martin Henle was, to all appear- ance, dead. Zeller now took his family to our wagon. Fa- ther, seeing a house on fire over the hill, said he would go up the hill to see what place it was, and notwithstanding Zeller's warning, went.
The next few minutes were the most exciting of my life, and I shall not forget them to my last day. Father had gone but a short distance, when suddenly, out of the timber, not far to the northeast of us, about a dozen Indians, all mounted, came galloping along the road. As soon as I saw them I recalled father, and, as he was hard of hearing, I had to call rather loud. The Indians, hearing me before father did, all halted and looked our way. Father, now seeing the Indians and now being convinced that something serious was going on, told me to stay where I was and watch the Indians, and should they come our way, hide in the slough nearby or in the cellar, so that at least one of us might be saved. He would try to reach home and help mother and the little ones, but, should the Indians come our way, he would have no show in reaching home. My protest did no good. Zeller, by this time had, with his family, reached our team, and, as father joined them, they drove away as fast as an ox-team will go, and, as the hill was between them and the savages, could not be seen by the latter who, after having stopped at the place mentioned before, a short time, rode on along the road facing south. Now was the time when it soon must decide where they would go. At the place where the road branched off to the west, they halted a few mo-
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ments, looking toward the Zeller house; then following the main road to the corner where it turns sharply eastward, and, following the road east were met by another party of Indians, and when these two parties of savages met, halted there for some time, and I made for home in a three-mile-a- minute gait and reached home a little later than the ox-team, and after the Indians were out of sight we left for New Ulm. While I was alone at the Zeller house, watching, I saw the supposed dead boy, Martin Henle, move his hands. I called him by name, but received no answer. When we were about to leave, Victor Zagrotzky, our next neighbor to the south of us, was seen running aimlessly to and fro on the prairie, so I went to him to tell what was up, when he told me that he had been to town and heard of the outbreak, and on coming to his house found windows smashed, bedding out- side and ripped open, and dared not go inside for fear to see his family butchered and mutilated. He of course did not know that they had been warned in time by the Massa- pust boy, and had escaped just in time to a settlement a lit- tle farther south, where people had gathered in considerable numbers, so when the four Indians who had followed them appeared upon the scene, they did not dare to attack, but went further southward, and the party of whites reached New Ulm in safety.
When we got about half way to New Ulm, Zagrotzky, who had followed, implored and begged piteously that some one should go back with him to search for his family, which had gone with the party before mentioned, a different road to New Ulm, but of course he could not know that. As our party now had been augmented by two teams; the families of H. Albrecht and Anton Ochs, and as from now on the
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road was deemed safe, father, with Mr. Zeller and Mr. Za- grotzky, went to search for the latter's family, and for the purpose of looking after Martin Henle. The chances, of course, were that they might meet Indians and be killed, but they went. They reached their destination without see- ing any Indians. After searching for the family of Za- grotzky, which could not be found, they went to the house of Mr. Zeller, and when entering, seeing the boy who was be- lieved to be dead, looking at them and trying to smile. They brought him water, which he eagerly drank, but they found it impossible to remove him, as there was no team to be had. When they saw, in the direction of the Henle place, a con- siderable number of people on the road, and after looking for a short time, could be distinguished to be white men, Mr. Zeller went to them to inform them of the fate of Mar- tin Henle, while father remained. In a short time some of the party, among them Mr. Henle himself, appeared, and the poor boy was once more united with his grief-stricken parents. This was the party under Sheriff Roos which arrived with the wounded they had rescued; among them Mrs. Zettel, at New Ulm at about ten o'clock in the even- ing. Mrs. Zettel and Martin Henle both died about two weeks afterward, and so, all in all, thirty-five men, women and children were murdered, in this immediate neighbor- hood on that never-to-be-forgotten bloody Monday.
THERESA HENLE'S ACCOUNT.
There is still residing at New Ulm a lady who tells the story of what she saw and endured at the hands of the red- skins in the memorable month of August, 1862. Mrs. The-
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resa Henle, wife of Anton Henle, into whose house the citi- zens of New Ulm intended to go when they were attacked on their way. This is Mrs. Henle's account of the affair as witnessed by herself:
"My husband, Anton Henle, went to New Ulm on the 18th of August, intending to return soon to haul in some wheat, because it was a very fine day. Besides running a farm we kept a sort of a stopping-place for travelers. A Frenchman who had remained over night left our house at nine o'clock, intending to go to the Lower Agency, a dis- tance of about twenty miles. Several men who were haul- ing freight for him to that place had left our house earlier. Nothing extraordinary happened except that at ten o'clock, the Frenchman returned and drove toward New Ulm as fast as he could go. It was very strange to see him thus pass our place without even a single look toward it, since he was never known to pass without calling in. Toward noon I went to my mother who lived near us, to get some lettuce. On returning home, I saw three naked Indians, and went back to warn mother. I found her in the garden. As soon as I approached her she was shot, and falling down, she cried aloud: 'O, Theresa!' Seized with terror I ran toward my house, fearing for my children. I found three Indians in the house. One of them jumped at me, but I ran down the incline into the woods which was only a little way off. There I stood for awhile not knowing what to do. I understood now why the Frenchman had returned in such great haste. Filled with a desire to at least save my baby, I went back toward the house, but noticed too many Indians around to do anything. I then went to a neighbor, Benedict Drexler, whose house was about thirty rods from ours. I
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went in through the window, and found no one at home. Later on, Drexler was found beheaded in the field. His wife and children were in the cornfield. The Indians shot at her but she fled. When I heard the shooting I ran into the woods in order to get back to mother, but saw a large num- ber of Indians who were putting up a red and white flag. I turned back again into the woods and remained in the dry bed of a creek, from which place I could hear the rattling of the wagons coming from New Ulm, and also the shots that were fired at them by the Indians, because I was hardly five hundred steps from the place where the Indians were lying in ambush. I remained there, tortured with the most terri- ble thoughts about my husband and children, which troubled me more than my own misery. Whilst sitting there, neg- lected and forlorn, my two dogs came up to me trembling. Toward evening I heard the voice of my husband in the direction of the house calling me, and I came forth from my hiding place."
Anton Henle also wanted to get to his place with the recruiting party, but he had to return to New Ulm, as has been related. When toward evening a volunteer company which had been organized at New Ulm went out to protect and assist the settlers, Henle was among the number. He did not expect to find a member of his family alive. In his house there reigned the supreme silence of death, and noth- ing but destruction was visible. What joy must have filled his heart when he heard the voice of his wife in response to his pitiful cries! One of his children, a girl of four, they found dead, and a servant girl of eighteen, beheaded. A child eight years old, who had been with its grandmother, was found dead without any wound; the child probably died
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of fright. One of his boys, Martin, a lad twelve years old, was found by Conrad Zeller. He had seventeen wounds upon his body, but was still alive. He died two weeks later.
This boy related that when he was running away a mounted Indian kept galloping at his side, striking him with a tomahawk, until at last, being completely exhausted by pain and loss of blood, he fell to the ground; and the Indian, believing him to be dead, rode away.
The number of Henle's relatives killed on that awful day amounted to twenty-one. Among them were: Martin Fink and wife, Monica; Max Fink and his nephew; Martin Merkle; Max Zeller and wife, Lucretia ; daughter of Martin Fink, and their four children; John and Barbara Zettel and their four children; Anton and Mary Ann Messmer; Anton Henle's children, Martin, Anton and Mary, and also Florian Hartman, brother-in-law of the Henle's.
A THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
Among the scores of thrilling experiences connected with the never-to-be-forgotten massacre, is one told by Mrs. Maria Hartman-Bobleter, whose first husband, Florian Hartman, was killed by the Indians. Her story, as related several years ago, is as follows:
"My husband, Florian Hartman, was on the 18th of August engaged with another man, John Rohner, in bind- ing wheat near our house. When I had their dinner ready for them I heard some noise, and on looking out I could see houses on fire, and also thought I could see them at work trying to save the buildings. At the same moment I heard a cry "Nippo!" (kill) and the reports of several rifles.
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Thinking the Indians were killing some cattle, I ran out to see what was going on. An Indian came close up to the house, stared at me and then ran away. Full of fear I hur- ried toward my husband who was about forty rods from the house, and on crossing the road I noticed a man lying on the ground and thought he was asleep. It was Hartman's hired man, Rhoner, and he was covered with blood. Looking for my husband I found him about thirty steps away from Rhoner, lying on the ground. He motioned to me to keep quiet and to drag him into the cornfield, because he was shot. Stricken with fear, I was powerless to do it. I cast myself down beside my husband, and in my excessive grief knew not what to do. Soon after, two Indians came up to the dying Rhoner and fired two more shots at him. My poor husband then begged me to hide in the cornfield, because I could not do him any good where I was. I ran and hid as he told me, digging a hole in the ground with my hands to creep into. I remained there till toward evening. Two In- dians passed close by me, but did not notice me.
"About eight o'clock I heard some one weeping bit- terly, but did not dare to leave my place, thinking it might be an Indian. After a while I crept toward my husband, and found him cold and stiff in death. I took some hair from his head as a remembrance, and fled into the woods. Even the animals seemed to realize what was going on. Un- der a large oak, in the vicinity of a spring, I remained all night, and toward four o'clock in the morning I hurried toward the Minnesota in order to escape across the ferry into Nicollet county. But the boat was on the other side of the river. I tried in vain to get across on the rope, and so I had to hide all day in the woods, and suffered greatly from the mosquitoes. About eight o'clock in the evening I went
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back to our house and passed five Indian tepees on my way. I went into the house to take some clothing, and in pick- ing up some of the bedding that was lying on the floor I noticed a wounded Indian lying thereon, and immediately ran away. When I passed the barn in my flight an Indian fired at me, but missed me on account of the darkness of the night. During the whole of that night and the following day I remained in concealment. On the fourth day it rained heavily. I was very tired and completely worn out. Such sadness overcame me that I was almost sorry for not having found death at the hands of the Indians. The rain contin- ued to the fifth day, and being completely drenched, I ven- tured back to the house; but on going in I found everything gone. However, I felt happy to find some dry undercloth- ing to put on. The hogs were in the pen and screaming from hunger. I had compassion on them and gave them some corn. I was lucky enough to find a loaf of bread, and with this I went back to my hiding place. But I was sorry to have betrayed my presence through my compassion for hun- gry animals. On the sixth day I wanted to go to the house, but noticing some Indians near the place I hurried back. During this and the next day I heard continual shooting. On the evening of the eighth day my dog came to me and was overjoyed to see me. I, too, rejoiced as if I had met with a friend in my terrible loneliness. I shared the re- mainder of my bread with him. He seemed to be very hun- gry. But at the same moment the thought struck me that he might betray my hiding place and in order to remove that danger I took my apron and strangled him with it. But he fought so fiercely, that it was with the greatest exertions that I succeeded in killing him.
"On the morning of the ninth day I heard a great noise
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which seemed to come nearer and nearer; but I soon felt relieved when I found it to be only a few hogs. I remained two more days in my concealment, and hardly dared to go a hundred steps farther. In my terrible condition, living on a little bread and wild berries, life seemed to have new charms. I enjoyed the singing of the birds, and thanked my Creator and prayed for the preservation of my life.
"A strange presentment made me leave my hiding place on the twelfth day. I went to the homes of my brothers, and to that of Cassimir, but found them all empty. A terrible sight presented itself to me in Zettel's house. There I found the bodies of the father and his four children, and between them a loaf of bread. I was very hungry and greatly de- sired to take the bread, but the odor of the corpses was so repulsive that I could not eat it. In Pelzyls' house I found the dead bodies of his father and of a woman. A short dis- tance from the house I found the bodies of old Messmer and of a girl. In Anton Henle's house lay the body of one of the children. The air was everywhere filled with the stench of the corpses.
"I now determined to go to New Ulm, six miles distant. In the cemetery I noticed a white flag, which filled me with courage and hope. But when I came near town and noticed that many buildings had been burned down and the town was deserted, new fear and anxiety came over me. I did not go farther, but returned immediately to my hiding place because I was afraid I might meet Indians in town. At seven o'clock in the evening I was again at my brother An- ton's house, from which I could hear a great noise. I went in because I thought I would have to die anyhow. The noise, however, was caused by all sorts of animals that had gath- ered in the house.
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"From there I went to my own house, and to bed, and reproached myself for having gone so far. On the following day I searched for some potatoes; but it was only with great difficulty, and after going to two other houses, that I could find a match. As soon as I had found some matches I re- turned to my house, feeling rich and happy, and prepared a soup. I had two matches left, and for fear that I might lose them I kept up a fire at a stump nearby.
"On the fourteenth day I found some eggs and a sack of flour, but could not make use of the flour. After that I remained indoors most of the time. An ox came up to the house with an ugly wound. I washed the wound and the animal got well. A calf had one of its eyes shot out but it got well. I then began to gather plums and nuts and dig potatoes, because I had lost all hope of being rescued, and wanted to provide for the winter. I was under the impres- sion that all the settlers had been put to death.
"On the seventeenth day I went to look for the body of my husband, and, on my way thither, I heard some shooting and the barking of dogs. I almost fainted on looking up and seeing eight men coming toward me. One of them lev- eled his gun, and now I thought I would after all have to die. But the cry, "Oh, sister !" roused me again, and in a mo- men I was in the arms of my brother, Athanasius, who had taken me for a squaw on account of the changes made by my sufferings and anxieties. Fortunately, I knew of an old wagon nearby which had been left by the Indians. My brother had only a sled for his horse. The wagon was fixed up and he went to town in it, where I again enjoyed the society of human beings, of which I had been deprived for more than a fortnight."
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THRILLING INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE OF NEW ULM.
Buck in his "Indian Outbreaks"-a work published in 1904-says: "The Indian War of 1862 developed as much genuine bravery and true heroism on the part of the whites as any war that ever took place. Numerous were the acts of bravery at the battle of New Ulm, only a few of which can here be mentioned. Specifically, I can mention that of J. B. Trogdon, first. He was my friend and client, living on a claim below New Ulm, and knew the Indian character well, A braver man never lived. He was an old bachelor, without relatives in this state, so far as I know. After the battle I saw him on his noble steed, and with his long curly hair thrown back over his shoulders and floating in the wind, and his trusty rifle resting on the shoulders of his faithful horse, he was the picture of a Spartan hero who knew no such word as cowardice. Bryant, in his history, says of him :
"'At another time, J. B. Trogdon, in company with Captain Potter, rode to a point of timber in the rear of the town, where they saw an Indian drop down in the grass, and another on a horse, a short distance behind. In order to avoid a shot from the Indian in the grass, and at the same time get a shot at the mounted warrior, it was suggested that Trogdon ride around and come up the hill from the ravine, and thus get near the savage without being observed. Trogdon immediately proceeded to put the suggestion into execution; but as he approached near enough to fire, twenty mounted Indians made a dash after him, with a devilish yell, and endeavored to cut him off from the town by run- ning him into a slough. Then followed a scene of the wild- est excitement. The mettle of the steeds was put to a test.
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At one time, in rounding the slough, it was thought Trogdon would be cut off; but a yell from him gave his splendid charger increased speed, and he distanced the Indians twenty yards. As he came near our lines, twenty shots were fired at him, but the aim was too high, and the balls had passed over his head. He immediately wheeled and dis- charged his Sharp's rifle at his pursuers, but without effect; and after passing within our lines, Trogdon again wheeled his horse, rode out toward the foe in easy rifle range, and fired deliberately at his pursuers, while over twenty rifle balls aimed at him, fell harmless at his feet, or passed over his head.'
"Brave Trogdon, with all his faults and life's failure, I gladly bear this token of personal friendship and respect for one of the bravest spirits that passed through the trying ordeal of Indian outbreak of 1862.
"In the battle of Saturday the savages got possession of a building from which it was necessary to dislodge them. The Hon. D. G. Shillock, then a practicing lawyer at New Ulm, called for volunteers to do this, and started with sev- eral men to the building. Before reaching it the others fell back, but he with his perseverance and brave heart reached the building, and with his unerring rifle cleared it of its savage occupants without being injured, though subse- quently he received a severe wound in the knee which maimed him for life.
"Another brave man was Nehemiah S. Burgess, who performed an act of valor unsurpassed in all the deadly conflicts of nations or individuals. Upon this subject Jud- son Jones, an early settler of Minnesota, now living at Cleveland, LeSueur county, sends me the following commu-
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nication: 'There is one unmentioned name which ought to be rescued from oblivion before those who were in the battle of New Ulm and know the facts pass away, and that is the name of Nehemiah S. Burgess, of Altona, LeSueur county, who did the bravest deed at New Ulm. At the most critical period of the defense, when the besiegers were in full force, and the besieged were all hidden within the barricades from the murderous fire of the foe, two buildings remained un- burned outside the barricaded street. It was feared that they would be taken possession of by the Indians in the night, which would enfilade the barricaded street and thus render the defense hopeless. It was a case of life or death. Those buildings must be burned, and a call was made for some one to volunteer for the forlorn hope. Among all these brave men no one answered the call. It seemed sure death, for the open ground to be crossed to reach the buildings was an easy range for the enemies' bullets and how was escape possible ? At last a man, Nehemiah S. Burgess, stepped out and said, 'I will go,' and, preparing his kindlings, he ven- tured forth. As soon as he appeared outside the barricades the Indians opened fire, the bullets falling around him like hail-stones until he disappeared behind the buildings. On his way back, after firing the buildings, the same fire as- sailed him. When safe inside the barricades he turned to look, expecting to see the buildings all in flames; but the buildings were wet with recent rains, and the fire had gone out. Undismayed, he prepared another lot of kindling and crossed the gulf of hell. This time he waited until he saw the buildings wrapped in flames, and again returned through the relentless fire of the foe unhurt. Major Buell, of St. Pe- ter, who was an eye-witness, gave me the account of it soon
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